


Raw Data

by TheSpaceCoyote



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Drugging, Hunter!Jack, Kidnapping, M/M, but not quite the vampire you might be thinking :0, vampire!Rhys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-03-03 22:26:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13350786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpaceCoyote/pseuds/TheSpaceCoyote
Summary: " 'I’ll cover his next one, Brick.'The bartender grunted in acknowledgement as a pale, slim hand trailed along the lacquered counter next to Jack. The hunter’s eyes fell upon it, taking in the pretty, electric blue nail polish that matched the tattoos crawling up and down the forearm in intricate patterns.Jack turned around in his chair, eyes widening at the attractive young man sitting at the bar right besides him. He blinked, not remembering hearing someone come up behind him.'Uh.''I’ll take that as a thank you, handsome.' The young man winked, his bright blue eye glowing with interest.————Jack's hunt for vampires in a new city is coming up empty, but thanks to a chance encounter at a bar, he might find what he's looking for after all. Though, perhaps not exactly in the way he had thought he would.





	Raw Data

**Author's Note:**

> Another Patreon fic! They wanted vampire Rhys and well...I decided to put a twist on it! Enjoy!

There were only two things in Jack’s life that he was completely sure of.

One, was that he was definitely one of the most ridiculously charismatic and handsome men that had even graced this wretched earth with his presence. Seriously, he managed to look good even when deep in the woods miles from civilization, or after two days of staying up all night keeping watch. 

And two, was that vampires were complete, irredeemable _scum_. Which was why he had so valiantly put aside any career that could capitalize on his own devilish charisma and chiseled body and instead dedicated himself to eradicated these servants of hell from the face of the earth. 

In his years of hunting, he’d gotten pretty damn good at it, able to surreptitiously track these monsters back to their lairs, then surprise them with a good old-fashioned stake through the heart or a searing faceful of all-natural Vitamin Sunlight. He didn’t always make it out of his encounters completely unscathed, but so far he’d never had to use the garlic capsules and spring-loaded cedar knife he carried on his person in case he ever ended up bitten. 

Back in the States, it was harder to track down vampires than it was in Asia or Europe. They tended to blend in better with urban and suburban environments, and the local forests were full of more werewolves and wendigos and sasquatches than vampires. They adapted better, hiding themselves amongst everyday people with ease. 

It surely was a challenge. But Jack was always up for something that put his skills to the test.

San Francisco was both a big and small city. It was densely populated but squashed into a tiny thumbnail of land. On the one hand, he had far less ground to search, but on the other there were millions of people he needed to narrow it down to the vampire he’d been hearing rumors about for his entire road trip up the California coast. 

He rented out a small, squashed apartment for the short term, reluctantly using his fake name as he set up shop inside of the sparsely decorated space. He did his best not to raise much attention, as if he were to be investigated, the local authorities wouldn’t react well to a man whose room was filled with weapons and what would look to an outsider perspective as odd and obscene paraphernalia. 

He did most of his serious investigations at night, where he was less likely to be harassed or suspected, though he had to go out in the daytime to grab some groceries or innocuous supplies. 

Over the next couple days after he settled in, Jack followed a couple of his initial leads, the majority of them running into dead ends. Every night, he would trudge back to his apartment, often with _less_ information than he had started out with. He’d usually spend the rest of the night bingeing on a garlic pizza and watching crappy comedy videos on his phone until he fell asleep, ready to try again when he awoke. 

* * *

Jack had a vague suspicion about the owner of a local club, a blonde, pierced young man by the name of August Vale. He figured he could track down a potential lead _and_ get himself a nice drink to ease the burn of his current frustrations.

He paid the cover with little fuss, sliding into the fancy lights and thumping music of the club like a shadow. He quickly wound through the crowds of grinding, laughing bodies before taking a seat at the bar and ordering himself a jack and coke. 

He kept his eyes peeled for August, even as the alcohol started to fuzz the hunter’s senses. He swayed slightly in his seat to the rhythm of the music, humming softly to himself as he relaxed enough to enjoy the energy of the club. 

He was just about to turn around and order another drink, when a sudden voice chimed next to him:

“I’ll cover his next one, Brick.”

The bartender grunted in acknowledgement as a pale, slim hand trailed along the lacquered counter next to Jack. The hunter’s eyes fell upon it, taking in the pretty, electric blue nail polish that matched the tattoos crawling up and down the forearm in intricate patterns. 

Jack turned around in his chair, eyes widening at the attractive young man sitting at the bar right besides him. He blinked, not remembering hearing someone come up behind him.

“ _Uh_.” 

“I’ll take that as a thank you, handsome.” The young man winked, his bright blue eye glowing with interest. Jack openly ogled him, from the fluffy, pushed back auburn hair to the slimly tailored dress shirt, and down to long legs shaped attractively from a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. 

“Uh….sure….you’re welcome.”

The young man laughed.

“One drink, and you’re already gone…would have expected something better from such a strapping guy like yourself.”

Jack shook his head, trying to clear his head. This kid was right—what was wrong with him? He wasn’t some lightweight, after all. He patted his chest, letting out a burp.

“Pfft, _nah_ , not me….uh, sorry ‘bout that, kid, you just took me by surprise yanno?” Jack deflected, shooting an acknowledgement to the bartender as he slid the new drink into Jack’s waiting hand. 

“Right, sorry. I’ve been told that I tend to walk too quietly…” The young man laughed, finger tracing in an idle circle as he rested his elbows against the slightly damp bar. 

“Name’s Rhys,” he slid his fingers over Jack’s free hand, rubbing over the hunter’s leather gloves, “what’s yours?”

Jack worked his lips together for a moment.

“J…John,” he lied fairly smoothly, still accustomed to throwing around his fake name. 

“Haven’t seen you around here before, John, and I’m here almost every night I have free…you just move here?” Rhys asked, thanking the bartender as he slid a bright blue drink towards him. Jack smiled softly to himself. The drink matched Rhys’ eye and tattoos in a way that was pretty attractive. Jack wondered if he did it on purpose. 

“Just a few days ago, yeah. Not planning to stay long, though.”

“Awww, why not? We’re a good group.” Rhys winked. “If you stick around, I can really show ya a good time.”

“Heh. Yeah? Maybe I’ll take you up on that.” Jack couldn’t help but be distracted by the young man that had showed a sudden interest in him. He’d stopped even keeping an eye out for August, his attention entirely levied upon the cutie who was now petting his arm up and down and scooting even closer.

They flirted idly for a bit longer, with Rhys ordering Jack a fresh drink once he’d downed his old one. The older man’s head had long grown foggy with alcohol, shoulders swaying slightly as Rhys pressed closer. 

“Nice tattoo,” Rhys mumbled, stroking over the dark blue inked into Jack’s wrist. His skin prickled with a chill, but his head and belly were so warmed by drink and affection that he paid it little mind.

“Same to you,” Jack tilted his near-empty drink towards Rhys’ decorated arm, “how much did that hurt, pumpkin? You got some balls on you…”

“ _Well_ , it didn’t get done all at once,” Rhys tittered, slurping down his drink before thunking it against the bar, “and it hurt a little but….don’t worry, I _like_ pain.”

“Heh….is…is that so,” Jack slurred, sliding his arm boldly around Rhys’ waist. The young man let out a faux little gasp, an excited smile flittering on his lips. Jack grinned at him, inhibitions knocked out as he leaned in closer, slight stubble on his chin brushing up against Rhys’ cheek as he brazenly kissed the young man’s temple. 

Rhys snickered, those pretty clear eyes flashing. 

“So forward.”

Jack’s head was feeling heavy, his neck like wet string unable to hold it up. He flopped forward, forehead rubbing up against Rhys’ shoulder and sighing at the brush of fabric against his warm skin. His vision blurred, and he closed his eyes. 

“Don’t worry, Jack,” Rhys purred, cold fingers running up and down Jack’s spine like rivulets of water. 

“We’re gonna have fun together.”

* * *

Jack grunted as he woke up, the flesh between his temples throbbing as his vision swum back into clarity. He narrowed his eyes, trying to usher away the last clinging fog of unconsciousness and focus on where exactly he’d been dragged off to.

It was undoubtedly a standard apartment, but had been done up and draped in a ostentatious, almost Halloween-like aesthetic. The table in the middle was draped in velvety black fabric and scattered with ornate candle holders and even one large, painted candelabra. The former were obviously lit by fake, flickering tea lights, while the candelabra itself was actually topped with dripping, red candles _._ A huge, frosted mirror rimmed in inlaid gold hung directly opposite from him, showing off his struggling form despite the gauzy black material attempting to cover it up. He could make out, vaguely, that he was bound into a high-backed, plush chair, iron chains tight around his chest and wrists.

Jack wriggled against his restraints, eyes quickly searching out any possible escape routes, when the sleek black door to the living room suddenly creaked open, the ominous noise rippling through the air and sending a chill down Jack’s spine. 

Firm, sleek soles clicked against the hardwood floor. A shadow cast against the wall, flickering in the changeable candlelight as Rhys entered the room.

He had shed the typical club-going attire for something that ended up being even _more_ stereotypical, something that almost had Jack rolling his eyes. He now wore an elaborate black suit with a cravat pinned by a garnet brooch, a velvety red cape trailing heavily from his shoulders and fluttering about his ankles as he strode forward, arm held out dramatically. Jack glowered back at his captor as Rhys’ smiled at him, long fangs peeking out over his bottom lip. 

Wow. Even vampires in Eastern Europe didn’t dress this way anymore. 

“….Gotta tell ya, kitten, you weren’t even _on_ my radar…” Jack grunted, shifting in his bonds. 

“Oh, I know. I planted the clues to lead you to August, to throw you off my scent, but well….looks like you didn’t even have it in the first place,” Rhys laughed.

“…Guess I should have kept my eyes out for hot, flirty little guys moonlighting as agents of the undead,” Jack spat, heart thumping as the vampire reached out, sliding a cool finger underneath Jack’s chin. 

“Guess so. Too bad you already fell for my trap _, hunter_.” Rhys tilted the human’s jaw upwards, exposing more of Jack’s pulsing throat. He swallowed.

A sinister aura gleamed in Rhys’ cool, mis-matched eyes. 

“Now…it’s time for me to _feed_.”

Jack tensed, his fists clenching against the arms of the chair as Rhys’ cold breath blasted against the juncture between his shoulder and neck. Jack shut his eyes tight, expecting to feel the prick of Rhys’ fangs against his neck, the flood of dread through his body as his blood was sucked away.

But no pain came. Jack held tense for a couple more seconds until he carefully opened his eyes, looking down to see that Rhys had pulled away, cradling something glowing and metallic in his palm.

It was his….his cloaking device?

“What….what are you doing with that?” Jack raised his eyebrow as Rhys leaned in close to the lightly pulsing service of the device, opening his mouth wider, his fangs extending out over the glowing surface. 

Before Jack’s confused eyes, wispy, blueish energy started to mist up from the cloaking device, billowing freely for a brief moment before it funneled towards the vampire’s bared fangs. The energy sucked up into the tips, like a vacuum drawing up dust.

Rhys gasped, suckling up the last of the energy, smacking and licking his lips with a dreamy smile. The screen of the cloaking device flickered one last time, before going completely blank. 

“ _Oooh_ , yes, yes, I _knew_ it would taste just as good as I thought,” Rhys purred, tossing the now-busted cloaking device to the floor. Jack stared, dumbstruck.

“You….you’ve gotta be kidding me…”

“What was that, big guy?” Rhys swayed up to his feet, rubbing his hand over his lips. Jack chuckled, shaking his head up at his captor. 

“You’re….you’re not even a real vampire!”

“Not a real vampire?” Rhys looked scandalized as he threw his arm wide. “Look at where you’re being held! Look at me! Does this not look like…. _real_ vampire to you?”

Jack rolled his eyes.

“I mean, _yeah_ , you got like the aesthetics down and stuff but….you don’t drink blood. You drink _data_.”

“I’m just as cool as all the others! Vampires don’t _have_ to drink blood to be badass!” Rhys insisted, firmly crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at Jack. The vampire hunter scoffed, a grin steadily crawling over his lips at his captor’s frustration. It was kind of… _cute_.

Jack wouldn’t have ever thought he would find a vampire cute. As far as he was concerned they were all monstrous, damned vermin to be destroyed, but this guy…

Maybe it was because of their brief flirtation in the club—drugged or otherwise brainwashed as it might have been—or the fact that Rhys was the least threatening vampire he’d ever witnessed, despite all the trappings. 

“You know you could’ve just…taken my cloaking device while you had me knocked out, right? You didn’t have to do all this…bring me back to your place, tie me up, put on your little _outfit_ —“

Despite his pale, cool skin, Rhys actually managed to _blush_ , cheeks tinging an ashy pink. He fangs peeked out from under his upper lip like a kitten trying to close its mouth, and Jack had been up close and personal with many a pair of fangs in his life and this was the first that he would dream to call _adorable_. 

“Well…I _was_ just going to strip you down, take all your devices, and leave you off lying somewhere but….well I don’t get to _use_ all my decor very often, and you were….you were kind of… _sexy_.”

Jack snickered. 

“So that flirting back there….that was all you, kitten?”

“You _are_ pretty attractive. For a hunter,” Rhys admitted. His long fingers stroked and cupped Jack’s face, trailing through the patches of stubble. For once, the chill of un-death was less unnerving, and more _enticing_. 

Rhys’ velvet cape swirled about him as he clambered up into Jack’s lap, his hands sliding to brace against the hunter’s shoulders. Jack felt his loins tingle as the attractive young man sat against his thighs, bringing them intimately close together. 

“I may be a vampire, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have _other_ needs….or can’t appreciate attractive humans.” Rhys’ finger’s curled into Jack’s hair, tilting his head to the side to again expose his throat. This time, however, arousal filled the hunter instead of dread. 

“So even if I don’t drink blood…” Rhys hissed, his breath cold against Jack’s neck. “I still wanna _bite_ you…make you feel a little _pain_.”

“So…you’re like my ex-girlfriends, then?” Jack joked, though his voice wavered slightly as Rhys’ fangs pricked at his skin. Now that there was no threat behind the fangs, his body started to tingle pleasantly as Rhys pressed his teeth up against his warm, human flesh. 

Jack had never actually been bitten by a vampire. He’d always been fairly lucky, dodging any attempts to suck his body dry or transform him into one of the vile undead. But with the knowledge that Rhys’ fangs were harmless to him, he merely relaxed, enjoying the feeling as the young vampire’s teeth sunk into his flesh, sending chills up and down the hunter’s spine. 

“ _Heh_ ….oh, if my older master w-would see me now…” Jack shivered as Rhys’ fangs pierced into his throat, sensual warmth twining in his groin. 

“Well, I mean…If I hadn’t broken his neck,” Jack chuckled tightly as Rhys’ groin rutted against his stomach, grinding their bodies together in the confines of the chair. 

“You’re pretty talkative for a hunter, John,” Rhys whispered as he licked the bite mark against Jack’s neck, before trailing his mouth up to the hunter’s lips. Jack willingly pressed forward to kiss them, the contrast of hot and cool between them sending delicious, forbidden pleasure ringing throughout his entire body. 

“C…Call me Jack, kiddo…ya think…think you can loosen these chains a little bit?” Jack gasped as their lips parted. Blueish saliva dripped from Rhys’ fangs as he licked them. 

“As long as you promise not to run away,” Rhys purred, sliding his hands up and down Jack’s arms, feelings the bulge of the hunter’s biceps underneath his clothes, “or try to kill me.”

Honestly, Rhys was far too amusing and harmless to warrant any kind of immediate termination. As long as Jack kept him away from any computer stores or tech offices, he would probably do little harm. He smiled at the vampire, wiggling his fingers. 

“Cross my heart, pumpkin,” Jack swore as Rhys fiddled with the chains around his wrists until they vanished into vapor, leaving the ones around his chest for now, which wasn’t ideal but Jack could live with it. 

“If you end up pleasing me enough, I’ll get rid of those ones too,” Rhys poked the remaining bonds before cupping Jack’s face and leaning in for another kiss. This time, Jack’s hands reached up and grabbed at the vampire’s slim waist, brushing aside his cape.

“Next time you wanna hook-up, maybe ditch the layers huh?” Jack mused as he slipped his hands underneath the vampire’s suit, grabbing at the waistband of his dress pants. Rhys purred, rocking forward into Jack’s hands as the human fiddled with his crotch. 

“Could say the same to you.” Rhys hands pulled at the buttons of Jack’s yellow shirt, yanking them apart to expose the hunter’s tanned chest. The vampire licked his lips at the sight, before diving it with tongue and fangs out.

Jack almost couldn’t believe that he’d been put in such a situation, but with Rhys’ actual threat fairly low _and_ his sexiness relatively high, the hunter was more than open to breaking a few taboos. 


End file.
